Can't speak for the OP but here are a few differences between learning electronics vs. programming:
1. With programming you can download open source code that does whatever it is you want near enough instantaneously. Electronics projects come to a halt if you don't have the right parts on hand (which btw makes electronics a good hobby for just dipping in whatever free time you can steal).
2. There's a great deal more learning material available for free online for learning programming than there is for electronics.
3. With enough reading you can put together a web application or software 'in production'. Designing + printing PCBs and soldering on surface mount components with a reflow oven is obviously not a requirement for hobby electronics, but something I'd like to be able to do eventually. Getting the knowledge/skill/equipment together to do this will probably take at least a year (whereas you can go to any web host you like and have a website up and running in about 30 minutes).
4. If you mess something up while programming, you just kill the process and try again. If you make an error when putting together electronic components, you run the risk of letting the blowing them up and letting the magic smoke out. Aside from the safety issue, this is a real PITA if you're short on parts!
5. Debugging is relatively hard. While with programming you can output parts of the state of your program, analysing the state of a circuit requires working a multimetre and possibly an oscilloscope. This difficulty could be more due to my inexperience with electronics though.
EDIT: added...
6. Getting together the right equipment (soldering iron, breadboards, safety glasses, pliers etc) takes time if you're not sure what you're going to need up front. Sames goes for building up a stock of often used parts.
As a side project, I will be hacking a little hardware for a friends business. If you are interested in how it turns out, just shoot me an email and Ill give you the details.
1. With programming you can download open source code that does whatever it is you want near enough instantaneously. Electronics projects come to a halt if you don't have the right parts on hand (which btw makes electronics a good hobby for just dipping in whatever free time you can steal).
2. There's a great deal more learning material available for free online for learning programming than there is for electronics.
3. With enough reading you can put together a web application or software 'in production'. Designing + printing PCBs and soldering on surface mount components with a reflow oven is obviously not a requirement for hobby electronics, but something I'd like to be able to do eventually. Getting the knowledge/skill/equipment together to do this will probably take at least a year (whereas you can go to any web host you like and have a website up and running in about 30 minutes).
4. If you mess something up while programming, you just kill the process and try again. If you make an error when putting together electronic components, you run the risk of letting the blowing them up and letting the magic smoke out. Aside from the safety issue, this is a real PITA if you're short on parts!
5. Debugging is relatively hard. While with programming you can output parts of the state of your program, analysing the state of a circuit requires working a multimetre and possibly an oscilloscope. This difficulty could be more due to my inexperience with electronics though.
EDIT: added...
6. Getting together the right equipment (soldering iron, breadboards, safety glasses, pliers etc) takes time if you're not sure what you're going to need up front. Sames goes for building up a stock of often used parts.